Southern Vietnam
Saigon
Vietnam’s biggest city, full of energy, hidden alleys, markets and street food.
About Saigon
A City Of Alleys, Markets And Motorbikes
Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by almost everyone, is Vietnam’s largest and most energetic city. Glass towers rise beside French colonial buildings, Chinese temples and narrow alleys where families cook, work and chat on plastic stools outside their front doors.
Most visitors see the landmarks: the Reunification Palace, the Central Post Office, the War Remnants Museum. We show those too, but we love the city’s quieter side even more, from the morning markets and old apartment blocks to the rural peninsula of Thanh Da and the busy lanes of Cho Lon, Saigon’s Chinatown.
Saigon is also where our story began, and the gateway to the Mekong Delta. Many of our guests spend a day or two here before heading south by bike and boat, or end their journey here with a last bowl of noodles and a coffee in a hidden cafe.
Best time to visit
December to April, the dry season. May to November brings short, heavy afternoon showers, but travel is still easy.
Getting there
Tan Son Nhat International Airport is about 30 minutes from the centre.
How long to stay
2 to 3 days, plus day trips to Cu Chi or the Mekong Delta.
Good for
City life, street food, history, photography.
Highlights
What We Love About Saigon
Hidden alleys
Narrow lanes behind the main streets where everyday life spills out of every door.
Street food
Broken rice, banh mi, snails and sweet soups at stalls run by the same families for years.
Cho Lon
Saigon’s Chinatown, with its temples, herbal medicine shops and busy markets.
History
The Reunification Palace, the War Remnants Museum and the Cu Chi tunnels.
Thanh Da peninsula
Fish ponds, gardens and canals just a short drive from the centre.
Saigon by motorbike
The city at twilight from the back of a motorbike, with a local driver.
Tours
Saigon Tours
City walks, food tours, motorbike evenings and day trips, plus the start of our Mekong journeys.
New Ho Chi Minh City
Deep South: Saigon to Chau Doc in 8 Days
Eight days on the small roads and waterways of the Mekong Delta.
New Ho Chi Minh City
Saigon at Twilight by Motorbike
Ride pillion with local drivers through the city as the lights come on.
New Ho Chi Minh City
Saigon Street Food Walk: Alleys, Markets and Night Bites
An evening of eating your way through the alleys of Districts 4, 5 and 3.
Ho Chi Minh City
Thanh Da Peninsula Walking Tour, Saigon
A short walk through Saigon's quiet rural peninsula, ideal when time is limited.
Ho Chi Minh City
Cu Chi Tunnels Day Trip from Saigon
A private day trip from Ho Chi Minh City into the tunnels that shaped a war.
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City Half-Day Jeep Tour
See Saigon's landmarks from an open-top jeep on a relaxed private half-day tour.
Ho Chi Minh City
Saigon Local Life Walking Tour
Walk quiet streets and see how everyday Saigon moves, works and changes.
Plan Your Trip To Saigon
Tell us your dates and interests. We will reply within 24 hours with a personal itinerary and a clear quote.